Eric (Reading Reflection)

Reading

The Messaging Kettle

Margot Brerenton

This is a useful reading where it showed how users can obtain social communication and connection while using habituated object / product during the existing ritual. However, I cannot stop wondering if “design” is to create something new for a better life where users are required to learn the new operation. This is interesting when designing for the elderly in particular, how they incorporate new product into user habituated product without the need to learn how it should function.

However, I found that the product described in the reading was over focused on one criterion without much consideration on the suitability of the environment (context) as well as aesthetics. I understand that product aesthetics might not be as important in some cases, but an attractive product should be able to gain more acceptance even for older users. As designers, I think it is very important to keep the balance between different criteria, and the use of prototypes is a great way of gaining valuable feedback from the intended users. Many designers have put their focus on making a detail and comprehensive prototype for user experience testing, however, it is the feedback that makes everything matters. A well structured survey and exploration are required or the prototype would mean nothing to the design development.

Reading

Greenfield, A. (2007). On the ground running: Lessons from experience design

This is a great article that allows students to explore the trend in product design. When I first started studying industrial design, I knew nothing more than creating a nice form of objects that are useful for anticipating users in specific scenarios. As the world evolves where people precious experience rather than mere possession of an object, design needs to extend to a larger context where the user experience should be incorporated every stage of the product life-cycle. IPod was a good example. The product is more than the user listening to the music using the device but also the experience with other services that it interwoven with. As the author suggested, "The product is no longer an isolated entity, but a way of gaining access to content which might ultimately live elsewhere”. This is very inspiring indeed. Although we used the prototype to test operation and user perception during this semester, more throughout considerations should be made in terms of the possibilities for the product to link to other interaction or services. It will be very interesting to explore how far can my product lead to.

In my early years of studies, I have learnt to storyboard scenarios and consider the user experience at different stages. However, when it comes to experience design described by the author, I found that it is a much broader field which cannot be achieved by a single designer but as a whole business. Designers may be able to specify every single detail of uniform but not the behaviour of the person in the uniform even though a beautiful and comfortable uniform certainly will have effect on how the staff behaves. If any aspect fails, the whole thing falls apart.

Another inspiring point that the author made was about “control” in experience design. As designers, we often think that we have done throughout research and analysis to understand what the user really needs to set out the experience for them. Maybe it is time for us to think about giving consumers more control and design with “less”. Examples such as the Fun Palace and “non-plan” architecture suggested that community is able to find their most suitable mode of spatial expression with open design, leaving control to the individuals rather than designers can create a more intimate expression and experience. Another great example the author used was the internet, we have evident how the “loosely joined” system opens up infinite opportunities for users to customise their own experience. It is not just about the sale of a product but, how long can the product stayed wanted and loved.

I agree that we all have the ability to design for our own. We design our rooms, we arrange things on shelves, we select our own meal and clothes and everything else. We can configure the best experience within a provided framework. It will not be easy for designers to find a good balance of “control” and “freedom” but I am sure that it will be a strong determinant of the success of a design project.

Reading

Designing Interactions. Chapter 10: People and Prototypes
Bill Mogridge

The reading addresses the use of prototypes to understand user experience, investigate ideas and communicate design concepts. The interactions design prototype described in the reading is pretty much what we did during the semester, using simple mock-ups and Arduino electronic circuits that contain some code to stimulate behaviours and interaction. This helps to visually communicate the design concept with others but also identify relevant constraints.

I agree that there are no better ways to understand perceptions, circumstances, needs and desires of the ultimate users than make a prototype, it also helps to test how it differs from the design intent. But in the early stage of the design process such as research, story boarding and personifications are equally important. Four steps that IDEO methods cards suggested seems obvious but I found that not many student designers have followed the path carefully enough. Very often people jump into assumption and design something they want rather than is needed. In the materialised world, we designers have the obligation and responsibility to design for a better future but not creating more permanent garbage that fills up the landscape.

When the author says that it is very difficult to be a good designer without having a big ego. I kind of agree and disagree at the same time. As designers, we need to have an ego to make objective judgement and decisions. However, at the same time, we need to know when to put the ego aside to be able to understand user needs subjectively. That is why the author suggests all designers should understand anthropometrics, physiology, psychology, sociology, anthropology and ecology, as the role of designers are more than doing creative sketches and drawings but to solve problems, translating real user needs into the design solution.